- Year Published: 1952.
- Pages: 40.
The Gift of the Magi Summary
Introduction
The Gift of the Magi is probably one of the most widely adapted stories in the world. It provides important lessons and the twist ending makes the story interesting. During Christmas and other gift giving holidays, the story is used to show that the value of a gift is in the thought of the giver and not necessarily the utility of the gift.
Synopsis
Jim and Della are a young couple of modest means. They live together in an apartment and they have a deep love for each other. Christmas time came and as per tradition, each wanted to give the other a gift. Della had beauty long hair that reached all the way to her knees. She took great pride in the hair and Jim loved it too.
Jim, on the other hand, had a golden watch that had been handed down to him by his father. His father had also received the watch from his father and therefore the watch was a family heirloom. Over and above the hair, Della had $1.87 in cash.
On Christmas eve, she went to sell her hair to a salon owned by a lady known as Madam Safronie. The hair gave her a return of $20. As much as she was desperate to give her husband a present, she was also apprehensive that Jim may not find her attractive without the hair.
Once she sold the hair she added a dollar from her $1.87 and bought Jim a platinum pocket watch chain for Jim at $21. The intention was for Jim to use the chain for his golden watch. Jim, on the other hand, having no money took his golden